It is said that five hundred years ago, on the night when Prince Heyman and Miss Regina got married, the people of the Emerald City who had been spared from the war all cried with joy and spontaneously organized a night-long carnival that swept the whole city:
People held fire parades, danced wildly, and sang and drank. The newlyweds, Hyman and Regina, wore wedding garlands and walked out of the palace hand in hand. They joined the non-stop dancing of the people and accepted the cheers of the crowd and the whole city.
Blessings, let that night of boundless joy reach the climax of the carnival.
This is the origin of the "Queen's Day" and the "nightless banquet" in the Jade Festival in later generations.
On this night every year, the Emerald City does not set a curfew or lock the door keys, and gatherings are not allowed. The streets and alleys of all sizes will be lit with lights that stay on all night long, allowing the people to take to the streets to sing and dance, hold wine and banquets, and light the lights.
Fireworks celebrate all the beauty and happiness worth singing.
Although Duke Zahn has lost power in the past few days, the Kongming Palace has changed, and the whole city is in panic. Many people have closed their doors or left the city to seek refuge. But tonight, in order to make a living, many shops have been preparing for a long time in advance and plan to make a fortune from the celebration.
The vendors and merchants continued to work and welcome guests, hoping to make a little profit during the night of the banquet. In addition, there were patrolling soldiers and security officers, market and road officials working with grim faces, and busy craftsmen and porters.
, as well as some tourists from far away who are not too big to watch the fun. Although this year's all-night banquet tour is not as bustling and packed with tourists as in the past, it is still manageable and lives up to its name.
Except for one place.
Under the cover of night, Lausanne II walked in the streets outside the North Gate Bridge - or rather, the ditches and dirt roads separated between the crooked bungalows - with silent steps and a dark figure, perfectly blending into the night.
Compared with other places in the city where the lights are bright and people are coming and going, outside the Beimen Bridge, whether it is the houses, streets, squares or roads, the lights are dim and deserted.
Only the bright moon in the sky treats everyone equally and shines all over the world.
In the slightly fishy air, homeless wild cats chased mice in the gutter, and wild crows on the tree branches scolded the moon.
In the distance, in a simple house with the lights out early, a couple was heard arguing ("What's wrong with smoking some herbs? Who am I making money for? Who! Too little? Too little, don't pass it up!") and
The child cried out in fear, heavy objects fell to the ground, cups and dishes were broken, and the dogs tied outside the house barked, causing more dogs to bark in the distance...
Scenes like this can be found everywhere in the back streets of the new suburbs outside Beimen Bridge, giving people a drowsy, gloomy and numb feeling.
Just like his past.
Under the moonlight, Lausanne II felt the weight and temperature of the sword behind his back, expressionlessly crossed a dirty ditch, and then passed a row of crooked fences.
A large dog tied to the fence sensed the stranger and barked a low warning menacingly. However, when he approached, it trembled all over and ducked back into the corner with its tail hanging down, shivering.
Smart, sensitive, size up the situation, bully the weak and fear the strong.
Lausanne II kept his eyes still and continued to move forward.
But that's why, you're always just a dog on a leash.
Only the view as far as the leash can be seen.
The next moment, Lausanne II's steps trembled and his face looked painful!
Not good.
here we go again!
In an instant, the muscles all over his body tightened, twitched, and twisted unconsciously...
Starting from the heart, all the organs and tissues in his body began to roar, struggle, and tremble, eager to kill and plunder, and conveyed this impulse to the brain over and over again, like strong winds and huge waves crashing on the shore.
Yes, brain.
His fragile, empty, and dazed brain had little remaining sanity left after enduring endless torture.
Thinking of this, Lausanne II looked fierce, clenched his fists, waved his arms, and punched his chest with great force!
boom!
Be quiet - he said to them.
His heart trembled slightly under his ribs, contracting violently under the hurt and pain.
But Lausanne II looked ferocious and punched him again without hesitation!
boom!
Quiet, quiet, quiet!
Lausanne II's eyes trembled, and he roared and warned at the uncontrollable organs and tissues all over his body.
listen to me.
mine!
I!
But this time, every part of his body was desperately resisting him and struggling wildly. They were eager to overwhelm his will, drown his reason, and seize his spirit.
Lausanne II gritted his teeth.
Of course, he was injured and poisoned.
They were greatly implicated, and of course they would not be satisfied. Although they were relieved and recovered, the rare and deadly poison that the old inquisitor put in the wine had endless consequences, and it took him a whole day to recover.
But he knew that he could not give in or compromise.
Because they will never be satisfied.
Then the evil spirit began to whisper.
"Then come and have a drink with me, kid."
In his memory, the old inquisitor before his death raised his glass, took a sip, and showed an expression of enjoyment:
"Let me tell you everything and you will understand."
This scene made Lausanne II tremble slightly and became a part of his everlasting memory.
He remembered that he had already seen through everything at that time, so he slowly stretched out his hand with confidence, and raised the glass of wine under the slightly nervous gaze of the old judge.
"I know you put poison in this."
Through the glass, he saw with satisfaction that the old man's eyes trembled and his expression changed drastically.
It was shock and regret, unwillingness and regret.
"But out of respect, I am willing to have a drink with you, Mr. Brennan," he grinned the next second, "for your courage and courage."
And the will to endure the pain.
He smiled, raised his head gracefully, and drank the poisoned wine in one gulp.
good.
It's a fine wine.
It was worth the price he had to pay for the poison in the wine.
I don’t know which high-ranking person was qualified to enjoy it before this?
Putting down the wine glass again, he saw the confusion, confusion and confusion in the old judge's eyes as expected.
And the incredible disbelief of what he did.
"Why, why?"
The old man stood up tremblingly, his face showing the pain of a poisonous attack - he was just an ordinary old man with no strength, how could he endure it?
Why?
But he just chuckled and didn't answer.
Why?
You won't understand anyway.
Until the alcohol poison in his body also started to take effect.
But at that moment, he met the old judge's eyes.
The old man was stunned, and then suddenly understood something.
"I understand, kid, I've seen people like you..."
Although his expression was painful under the torment of the poison, the old man's words became extremely gentle, even with a hint of regret:
"You want to let go of something, but the pain is unbearable; you want to hold on to something, but you feel empty..."
Perhaps the poisonous wine was taking effect. He shuddered and stood up subconsciously!
"You understand too little, and you don't understand too much... You don't know what to be loyal to, so you can only grit your teeth and lower your head, numb your eyes, and slightly relieve the pain and depression..."
Perhaps it was the effect of the poisoned wine. As if he was hit hard, he took a step back in shock, unintentionally knocking down the seat.
The old man could not hold on and fell to the ground in pain.
"It's okay, kid, I've had it too," the judge on the ground tried his best to smile, and tremblingly said the sunset's last prayer to him, "It's okay, you will understand in the end, it will pass, it will pass, it will pass.
…”
The old man's words stopped suddenly, and the luster in his eyes gradually disappeared.
But there was an unreasonable fear in his heart, and he kept retreating in confusion until he fell to the ground.
Why?
Perhaps it was the result of the poisoned wine, the muscles all over his body began to tremble, and his blood began to roar.
The long-lost fear suddenly struck him, leaving him with nowhere to escape.
Why, why did this old guy's last look...
With pity and...
pity?
No.
Why sympathy?
He was in a daze, struggled to his feet and broke the window.
Plunge into the deep dark night.
Pounce on his last refuge.
No!
On the path of Beimen Bridge, Lausanne II suddenly opened his eyes!
roll.
roll!
Get out of my brain!
roll!
He was trembling all over, fighting to the death with this unruly and tyrannical body, while trying to pull himself back from the memory of the past.
listen to me!
In pain and numbness, he tried hard to focus on the sword behind his back. From simple to complex, from basic to advanced, he recalled and dismantled various sword moves over and over again, simulating the drills in his mind again and again.
I forget reality in my martial arts and sword style.
Silent Cicada Sword...Forged Blade Strike Technique...Fearful Killing...Oracle's Instructions...Fire Sea and Wind...Ten Forms of the Legion...Thorn Sword...Tianle Rondou...
Finally, when the young Joaquin Knight appeared in his mind for the twenty-eighth time, ordering the younger him to tighten his steps and concentrate in order to exert the maximum effect of the "Triumph", he successfully suppressed the tremors and tremors all over his body.
Struggling to regain the shaky sanity, the riots in various parts gradually subsided.
The evil spirit reluctantly went silent.
Maybe it only took a few tenths of a second, but there is no doubt that he once again won a dangerous duel and survived the disaster.
And ever since he suddenly lost control of the battle with the ever-changing strange monster in the sewer, similar fights have only become more dangerous, making his sanity shaky.
Will he be so lucky next time?
Lausanne II took back control of his body, felt the weight of the sword again, exhaled, and continued to move forward.
The moonlight was bleak, and the surrounding bungalows became quieter and quieter.
The sound of breathing in each house became less and less, and even the crowing of cocks and the barking of dogs became much less frequent.
Born and raised here, Lausanne II knew that as the administrative district with the cheapest land price and the shortest history in the Emerald City (he even doubted whether there was a dedicated administrative officer outside the Beimen Bridge), most of the residents accommodated in the new suburbs were
Low-level workers and servants from all walks of life in the city.
At this moment, they either carry their tools into the city, go to shops, workshops, warehouses, docks or even the houses of wealthy families to work and serve people honestly. (Especially on banquet nights) they have to wait until dawn before they can go home from work.
, otherwise there will be no work and nothing to do, so it is better to turn off the lights early and go to sleep to save firewood, fuel and food, and get up early tomorrow to go to the city or even outside the city to find a job that can earn cash.
As if across a bridge, the bright and warm lights and thousands of homes in the Emerald City, as well as the exciting and yearning scenery, have nothing to do with their lives.
In their eyes, the Jade Festival, which has a reputation for being indulgent and hedonistic, is just another opportunity to make money through hard work. At most, the boss's wages are more generous these days, and the tips of the guests are slightly larger.
As for the Kongming Palace in the city, which stands on a huge rock on a high slope with fluttering iris flags flying high, welcoming countless dignitaries and representing the highest power on the south bank, it is just an awe-inspiring and admired palace, but it is always far away.
The giant god who is far away from the horizon.
Don't eat the fireworks of the world, and have no involvement in the world of mortals.
Thinking of this, Lausanne II clenched his fists.
There is no wine in the bottle, Lausanne.
Turnbull said this to him in the past.
"You once thought there was wine in the bottle, and that's why you ended up like this..."
Lausanne II suddenly raised his head and looked directly at the bright lights of the palace in the distance.
"Then do you want to know what's in the bottle?"
No.
He shouldn't have to know or care about this.
He should have been just like the people around him, saying things like "Oh, it's nice to live in the Emerald City" and "Working is better than farming and fishing outside" and "At least we have the rules and regulations of the official to protect us".
With words of encouragement and kind words such as "", we are repeating the life of the previous generation.
As long as he doesn't meet Handro Joaquín.
As long as he doesn't become a knight's squire.
As long as he doesn't hold the hilt tightly.
As long as he doesn't raise his head.
As long as he doesn't...
etc.
Feeling something in his heart, Lausanne II looked around in the alley.
so quiet.
It's too quiet.
Too quiet.
Even if this is the Beimen Bridge during the night-time banquet tour.
Lausanne II slowly raised his head.
In the distance, a long-abandoned sentry tower stood quietly in the moonlight.
Like an aging old man.
In the darkness, he stared at the sentry tower for a long, long time.
Lausanne II, who has experienced hundreds of battles and survived numerous close calls, is all too familiar with such scenes.
He knows what it is.
A trap.
A dangerous trap designed to hunt him.
Everything is clear in the heart.
Lausanne II took a deep breath and suddenly felt the pleasure he had not seen for a long time.
Every part of his body became excited again and was ready to move.
Yes, did they say "yes", "ok", or "go"?
Lausanne II felt it.
This is a rare tacit understanding between them.
It was the moment when they, as eternal mortal enemies, worked with one heart and one mind to reach a compromise.
Then go for it.
In the next second, his body and mind united, he jumped up and climbed to the open roof.
Under the night, also under the moonlight, the killer showed an almost sick smile.
He walked towards the sentry tower without any cover.
————
Thales put down the telescope in his hand.
At this moment, he was standing on a five-story abandoned sentry tower, overlooking a small half of the new suburb - or as locals said, outside the bridge - countless bungalows and shabby houses under the clear moonlight.
Compared with the ever-lasting light and brilliant lights in other parts of the city, the entire new suburb looked dim, desolate and pitch-black.
pitch black...
Thales felt something in his heart under the moonlight. He raised his head and looked at the brightly lit Kongming Palace in the distance, as bright as day, and then at the dim streets under the tower.
"What I see..."
Thales murmured, quoting the indifferent and numb famous saying of his ancestors: "There is only darkness."
But as soon as the prince finished speaking, another steady voice sounded faintly from the air, continuing Thales's words:
"The fire of civilization is urgently needed to light up the wilderness."
Thales frowned when he heard this:
At some point, a strange figure appeared next to him, standing side by side with him on the tower, looking at the countless scattered houses below.
The sudden appearance of the uninvited guests caused a small commotion among the Star Lake guards who were guarding the upper and lower floors. Many people rushed to the top floor to escort them, until Mallos, who was standing at the other end of the tower, heard the words and gave the order, signaling to his subordinates to be calm.
"If I remember correctly, this should be what Black Eyed John said to Prime Minister Halva before his expedition to Exeter."
The sudden visitor spoke softly, as if afraid of waking up the dark silence in front of him:
"It's just that the first half is catchy, so it spreads wider and makes him famous."
Thales snorted lightly.
The fire of civilization.
"The black eye is really right," the young man shook his head at the cluster of residential buildings below, "if the flames of war can be considered the 'fire of civilization'."
The guest next to him was silent for a while.
"This is true," the guest's Western Continent Common Tongue was fluent, even with some of the antique flavor of the ancient Imperial Tongue, but the emotion was lacking. "It should be noted that in the past, when the black-eyed army came with iron heel, the villages in the north were...
Towns, fortresses, and palaces all burst into flames, reaching into the sky and setting fire to the prairie fire, which could not but be said to 'light up the wilderness'."
Thales smiled with a sarcastic smile.
He turned his head and looked formally at his guest.
"It's really hard for you to invite me, Earl Li. It is said that Butler Ashford found several middlemen, took seven or eight twists and turns, and had to wait until night before he reluctantly sent the invitation to you?"
Coming from the Kingdom of Night on the other side of the ocean, Le Corleone with a Far Eastern face bowed slightly:
"Your Highness, please forgive me. For well-known reasons, when our family goes out, the place we choose to rest is extremely important. We must be cautious and keep it absolutely confidential."
Thales looked at the blood envoy's meticulous etiquette and felt the other person's deathly and corpse-like aura. He was silent for a while and smiled.
"That's understandable. Then I guess the other one is also in such trouble?"
Another fresh and confident voice sounded from the left side of Thales:
"That's not necessarily the case."
Hearing this voice, Li remained motionless. Thales turned around and looked to the other side.
"If you want to find me, just two messenger crows will do." A handsome young man in luxurious clothes appeared silently on Thales' left side. "Even if someone follows their flight path one after another to find my hiding place,
Well, I can also have time to adapt."
He looked at the stacked roofs below the tower and tutted:
"After all, times have changed."
Li remained motionless, his eyes as stone.
It’s as if he didn’t hear, or didn’t bother to hear, the other person’s sarcasm.
"Good night, Yannick." Thales smiled and nodded.
From the Immortal Council of the Feast Land, the acting master of the Renewal Court, Yannick Fraser Holier smiled heartily and bowed to Thales.
Just like this, Thales stood in the middle, with two vampires from the east and west on the left and right. One was silent and the other smiled faintly, but there was always a strange coercion in the air, which made people nervous.
"I won't talk nonsense." Thales stood for a while, not bothering to deal with the past grudges represented by these two vampires, and went straight to the topic, "I believe you all know that something has happened in the Emerald City in the past few days.
trouble."
Little trouble.
Yannick smiled.
"It's just a slight obstacle. I'm sure that with His Highness Thales' ability..."
But Thales didn't let him continue.
"A killer."
The prince looked serious and spoke sternly:
"To be precise, he is a ruthless killer with extreme strength. He kills indiscriminately in the Emerald City, taking lives, seeking revenge, disrupting order and causing public outrage."
Yannick couldn't help but look serious, and his expression didn't change.
"therefore……"
Tails paused for a moment, then turned around with his hands behind his back. The moonlight shone all over him, making him even more shining and upright:
"I invite you two to come here tonight. I am going to ask you to help me catch the murderer and bring order to the city."
There was silence on the sentry tower for a long time.
The two guests remained motionless, as if they were digesting the meaning of chewing Thales.
"What?"
After a few seconds, Li from the Kingdom of Darkness spoke softly: "We? Capture the killer?"
Thales smiled politely.
"With all due respect, Your Highness," Yannick looked at Thales carefully, his eyes were intriguing, "You are now in charge of the Kongming Palace, commanding the Emerald Legion, and there are many talents under your command. Not to mention that the royal family is rich, and a reward of a thousand pieces of gold must be a brave man. Why?
Looking for us vampires, let’s be honest, looking for vampires that everyone hates as thugs?”
Thales took a deep breath, turned around, and looked outside the sentry tower.
"Because," he said playfully under the moonlight, "it's night now."
For the first time, two vampires from the East and the West looked at each other.
"Then what do you think?"
No one spoke, but Thales was very patient.
"Your Highness, I apologize," Li finally responded first, but the words he said made Thales' smile fade away, "I am here to represent Corleone and the Kingdom of the Night, and I am on an envoy to the stars. It is not convenient for me to choose sides - especially
Between the royal family of Bright Star and the family of Kevin Deere."
"That's it..." Thales muttered.
"I'd be happy to help, Your Highness."
Thales's eyes lit up and he turned to the other side.
"Thank you, Yannick," the prince said in a tone that was still vigilant, "but?"
Yannick smiled happily.
"But - as a member of the Immortal Parliament, my every move involves the diplomacy of the two countries. If I interfere in the internal affairs of other countries by making unreasonable opinions and make mistakes that offend the state, then back to the banquet hall, the other members, well, no matter it is
Allies, political opponents, peers and elders, I’m afraid they won’t let me go easily.”
Thales narrowed his eyes and had a premonition:
"unless?"
Yannick smiled, but did not use the words Thales gave him:
"Of course, other councilors have not set foot in the stars for a long time and do not understand the general trend of the times. But if they know that as the heir to the kingdom, your highness is broad-minded and trustworthy, and that he is unbiased, friendly and enthusiastic towards the feast leader, and then regard you as an ally,
Presumably you won’t object to my helping?”
Heir to the Kingdom…
Treated as allies...
"What do you mean?" Thales asked softly.
Li next to him sneered.
Yannick ignored his compatriots and just bowed slightly:
"Perhaps that way, I can be confident and bold enough to provide unreserved support for you in managing the Emerald City - and perhaps other things?"
Thales pondered for a while.
"I thought we were friends?"
"Yes," Yannick said without any pretense, "So friendship needs to be maintained - you help me, and I help you?"
Thales said nothing.
"The relatives of Fengfang Leader are close to Kamasi. They are used to calculating carefully and are even more cunning than before reincarnation." Li on the other side looked at the bright moon in the sky without changing his expression. "Your Highness must be prepared to suffer losses when interacting with them."
Yannick laughed.
"Speaking of which, one of my friends, Damian Merchid, the sixth member of the Immortal Parliament, said something," the handsome vampire glanced at Li, "It's better to be a profiteer than a robber?"
Li still said nothing.
"In that case, forget it."
Thales sighed.
The two vampires bowed in unison, their faces still expressionless, and no attitude or reaction could be seen.
Until Thales's eyes lit up and he took out a letter from his arms.
"By the way, Yang, I almost forgot," he apologized as if he had just remembered it, "I have written a reply to Serena. Could you please go out and bring it to her?"
As soon as he said this, Yannick's smile froze.
Li slowly moved his eyes to look at his compatriots, speaking to him for the first time tonight.
"So, the younger members of the Houllier family are you and your family protecting Corleone's key criminals?"
Yannick tightened his cheek muscles and fell silent between Thales's burning eyes and Li's cold eyes.
He sighed, and finally ignored the latter's murderous intentions and accepted Thales' envelope gracefully.
"Your Highness, you are really magnanimous."
Thales raised his eyebrows and was about to say something to soothe his cheeks.
"Did you make this decision, or did your mother make it?"
Li refused to let him go:
"The one who provokes Corleone - is it only the Hollier family, or is it the cowards of the entire Dark Night Council?"
But this time, Yannick seemed to have made up his mind to ignore the elder from the Eastern Continent, and just gave Thales a helpless smile:
"If I were you, Your Highness, facing the vicious and cunning Corleone, especially that Lady Serena, I would simply not reply."
Yannick put away the envelope and sighed:
"And I won't have to see her again - to be honest, this family is not very exciting."
Li's eyes became colder.
"Where is she?"
This vampire with a Far Eastern face has a voice that sounds like a mosquito or a fly, but it sounds threatening and chilling to the ear:
"Sinner, Serena Corleone?"
The atmosphere was tense, and Thales, who was caught in the middle, couldn't help but frown.
"Why, Earl Li of the Kingdom of Darkness?"
Finally, Yannick Houllier, who had been silent for several seconds, no longer gave in. His eyes moved and radiated a sharp light:
"As an important minister as you are, why do you want to go to Xingchen at this time?"
Li didn't answer, but continued to stare at Yannick with an evil look.
But Yannick continued:
"Is it the Queen of Night whose throne is on shaky ground who made this decision, or the King of Nightwing who is said to have stopped showing up after passing the throne and will 'return soon'?"
Li's aura became even colder.
Thales stood in the middle, feeling the tit-for-tat atmosphere between the two sides.
Well, it’s no wonder that when faced with the vampire forces, Zhan En would either not invite them, or else he would invite both the East and the West.
"It really worked." He murmured.
Without any warning, as soon as Thales finished speaking, the two vampires turned their heads at the same time and stared at the prince with cold eyes!
Like two long swords, the young man was forced to death on the spot.
Even though he had experienced hundreds of battles, Thales couldn't help but feel choked in his heart.
It seems that they are well aware of their plans.
And whoever comes is not good.
He had to cough vigorously and change the subject:
"Well, the moonlight is just right, so we won't talk about these troublesome things..."
Faced with the increasingly bad atmosphere and two unkind eyes that were as sharp as a knife, Thales reached out his hand again, took out the next letter from his arms, and handed it out tremblingly:
"Let's talk about something fun - I have written a reply to Her Majesty Cortrina, and I am asking you, Count Tori, to take it back to the Kingdom of Darkness. How about it?"
The two vampires were silent for a while, and then both looked away.
The aggressive atmosphere eased slightly.
"You will be of service." Li said in a hollow voice, and slowly reached out to take the envelope.
"Letter from the Queen of Night?"
On the other side, Yannick's eyes were intriguing.
Thales had a chance to breathe and clapped his hands quickly:
"Speaking of which, do you know how the two sisters, Katerina and Serena, and I met?"
The two vampires looked at each other.
Before they could react, Thales took a deep breath and forced them to listen:
"To put it simply, Jann Kelvindir deceived Katerina and wanted to use her to assassinate me."
Thales could feel that both vampires paused and looked at each other warily.
Li's eyes became colder and colder, but Yannick suddenly understood when he heard this:
"I see. No wonder Duke Iris took this revenge and is now behind bars."
"Unfortunately, Ugly Face Woman, ahem, I mean Serena also wants to force Katerina to kill me," Thales shook his arms without any scruples, shaking these things that would be shocking no matter where they are placed.
Kingdom Secret, "In order for the stars to seek revenge on the Kingdom of Night, she can return to her country and reset herself."
Li's expression remained unchanged, but Yannick frowned slightly.
Thales sighed helplessly.
"I know that no matter which party's plan I am in, I will always be the one who is going to die. It is extremely unlucky and tragic, right?"
Yannick narrowed his eyes and made no comment.
"But you still stand tall," Li Tuwu said, "just like Her Majesty Katerina."
Thales smiled uglyly.
"Speaking of this, you may not believe it, but back then she was the crybaby... I mean, Queen Katerina also thought about killing me and silencing me and draining my blood..."
In other words, in the eyes of the tripartite people, I am just a piece of meat...
"I believe it," Yannick next to him smiled sarcastically, "The Corleone clan is vicious and dangerous. It has always been like this. It's not surprising."
"But Your Highness, you are still alive and kicking," Li's face did not change, "You are full of energy."
Full of blood.
Hearing this word, Thales felt his neck itch.
"So I remembered it. No wonder, no wonder Cortrina said in her letter that she wanted to repay my favor and give me a big gift, haha," he abruptly changed the subject, "big gift!"
Tails paused and looked at Li seriously:
"Count Li, I don't know what the queen of your country said in her letter, so why not?"
Yannick was thoughtful after hearing this.
"Her Majesty the Queen must honor her commitments, and I also believe that you have a very close personal relationship with Your Majesty," Li's answer was impeccable. "But if I take action to arrest the perpetrators and interfere in other countries' internal affairs, I will use personal friendship to confuse national affairs and diplomacy, and on the contrary, I will harm Your Majesty."
Infidelity with the Kingdom of Night.”
Yannick next to him sneered again.
Thales observed Le Corleone carefully for a while and couldn't think of any flaws, so he nodded sadly.
"Well, since you don't want to..."
Yannick's eyes lit up:
"Your Highness, actually you can have a feast..."
But the next second, Thales raised his voice, overshadowing Yannick:
"But I'm very curious..."
His Highness the Prince narrowed his eyes and looked at Li:
"If you are not a 'big gift', then what exactly is this gift that Katerina wants to give me?"
Yannick's eyes moved after being interrupted.
"That is the scope of the personal relationship between His Majesty and Your Highness. As a servant, I am not in a position to inquire..." Li's expression was calm and unmoved.
"On the contrary," Thales continued, "you crossed the sea of terminus on behalf of Caitlina to fight against our common enemy - we had a bloody feud eight years ago, which almost killed me.
The one who died with her - Jann Kelvindill to repair the relationship and restore the alliance?"
Thales sighed.
"They say they want to give me gifts, but they are actually causing trouble and embarrassment for me," the prince curled his lips disdainfully, "Katerina, is she worthy of me and worthy of the friendship we had when we fought side by side?"
Li said nothing.
So Thales continued:
"I have to say, this confuses me."
"It's quite confusing." Yannick, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke and smiled at Thales.
Thales glanced at him.
This cold-blooded species really knows how to exploit every opportunity and fish in troubled waters.
"It is better to resolve enemies than to make enemies. The interests of the country dictate that we have to reconcile," Li replied in a deep voice, "Your Highness is wise and will be able to understand."
"I understand, of course I understand. After all, I am also a Grand Duke now."
Thales sighed:
"There were also times when I had to compromise with Zhan Enxu and make peace against my will..."
But the prince changed the subject:
"But not long ago, you told Zhan En at the Zhan Zheng Banquet that before the two families can resume contact, you must first settle the 'ex-debt'?"
As soon as these words came out, Yannick's eyes on the other side moved slightly.
Li remained calm.
"It should be noted that eight years ago, Zhan abandoned his friendship with Blood Fang in order to kill me. Not only did he deceive Her Majesty the Queen, he almost framed the Corleone family for injustice and started a war between the two countries."
Under the moonlight, Thales's words were extremely sharp:
"And Her Majesty's former assistants, Simon, Hestad and Chris Corleone - I guess you should recognize these people - all died in that battle, leaving Cortina alone and helpless after returning home.
"
Li's eyes were lifeless.
Yannick's eyes flickered.
"Not to mention that Zhan has been protecting Serena in the past few years and helping her escape your pursuit."
Thales smiled softly:
"With all due respect, what you and Zhan En, Blood Fang and Iris have forged is not an ordinary 'debt', but a life-and-death blood feud that will last for generations."
Thales no longer looked at Li, who was as motionless as a stone statue, but turned to the guests on the other side.
"Yang, you know them well. Tell me, what do you know about the Corleone family? According to tradition, how will they 'settlement' this 'former debt'?"
Yannick smiled.
"I see."
The young - relatively speaking - vampire councilor shook his head slightly, looking at Thales with an intriguing look.
"Your Highness, I think that with the Corleone family's vengeful style of 'Eternal Blood Rule', no matter how long they lie dormant or how deep their forbearance, once the time comes, they will not hesitate to take revenge..."
Li remained silent.
"For example?" Thales raised his eyebrows.
Yannick chuckled:
"For example, they will use any means to knock down their enemies from their positions of power, knock them into the abyss, and deprive them of everything..."
This vampire has a handsome appearance, but his words are cold and sharp:
"This is not enough. The family, city, and territory he belongs to must be destroyed, leaving them unable to recover and no longer look like they used to be..."
"It's better to make a profit from it, benefit yourself, and benefit yourself at the expense of others..."
Yannick looked sharply:
"In this way, Corleone can exhaust all the humiliation and torture he can do before finally putting his enemy to death. Otherwise..."
Snapped!
Thales clapped his hands and said in a regretful tone:
"If this is not the case, it will not be enough to relieve the hatred!"
Yannick glanced at him, smiled slightly, bowed and said:
"Exactly."
Thales looked at the North Gate Bridge under the moonlight and sighed slightly.
"But all this sounds a little familiar," Thales clicked his tongue, "Count Li, what do you think?"
silence.
Dead silence.
Finally, Li, who was like a stone statue, slowly changed his face and spoke softly:
"I'm sorry for being stupid..."
As soon as Thales heard the first few words, he immediately raised his index finger and interrupted him.
"Yang, you know what."
Yannick was very cooperative when he heard what was said, with a curious expression on his face, as if he was listening attentively.
"The letter Serena gave me said that her sister, Her Majesty Cortrina, was in a state of distress in the Kingdom of Darkness and was busy suppressing her ambitious subordinates. It was all thanks to Count Li as a helping hand to stabilize the situation, and she could not leave for a moment.
.”
Thales stared at Li:
"But now he is thousands of miles away from the country and comes to the Emerald City as an envoy..."
Yannick tutted just right:
"That's it..."
Thales sneered:
"So I think, either the situation in the Kingdom of Darkness has calmed down and Count Li no longer has any worries, so he can go out to travel and talk business with peace of mind, or..."
Yannick hummed and stared at Li without hesitation:
"Either Earl Li is visiting the Emerald City this time, not for anything else, but because he has a heavy responsibility and is here for the national destiny of the Kingdom of Darkness?"
Li didn't answer immediately.
But this time, he slowly raised his head and looked sideways at Thales.
"Listen, Count Le."
Thales looked serious:
"With Yannick here to witness it, and for the sake of Cortrina, I won't go around in circles with you anymore."
The next second, Thales snorted coldly:
"Tell me, Kingdom Secret, no, it should be my father, what benefits did His Majesty Kessel promise you, such as trade privileges, giving up Hailey, helping Her Majesty the Queen stabilize her rule, save the country's destiny, etc..."
At that moment, Yannick Houllier's eyes were sharp, as if he was calculating countless things in an instant.
"That's why you, the Corleone family, are willing to put your chips on the line and risk crossing the sea, making waves as the mastermind behind the scenes, overthrowing the Duke of Iris, and subverting the Emerald City..."
Under the moonlight, also under the night, Thales' eyes are like sharp knives and his voice is like frost:
“…Destroy Kevin Deere?”
silence.
There was a long silence.
After an unknown amount of time, the "Red Wing" under the Nightwing King's throne, Count Le Corleone, slowly turned his head towards the prince like a mechanical puppet.
This time, perhaps for the first time in history, he was serious and serious...